Breathe easy with the best air purifiers in Australia in 2023

Advertisement

BTTR is independent, but when you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission. Find out more.

The past few years have made a solid case to invest in one of the best air purifiers in Australia.

First, we had raging bushfires across the country, filling homes and lives with ash and smoke.

Then we had the COVID-19 pandemic, which highlighted the ongoing need for proper hygiene both at home and in public.

The past year has seen epic floods across Australia, all leading to an increased likelihood of mould and other airborne pollutants.

Which is all to say, an air purifier for your home has never been a better idea.

But how do you choose the right model?

A good air purifier will help keep your home fresh, clear out small dust particles from your home’s air and help you breathe easier.

There are lots of different models available, and it can be difficult to find the product that is best for your needs.

To help, we’ve researched all the top sites recommending the best air purifiers, and consolidated that list for you here.

We go into more detail of the approach below, but we’ve looked at the products most recommended and that are available in Australia.

It’s worth noting that some of the best portable air conditioners will also help purify the air as well.

These are the best air purifiers in Australia right now

Winix ZERO+ Pro 5 Stage Air Purifier

Recommended by 40% of review sites

With five stages of air filtration and large enough to filter large rooms, this air purifier from Winix cleans air comprehensively.

One of those five filters is a dedicated pet filter, which captures larger particles, dander and pet hair. There’s also a hospital-grade HEPA filter and PlasmaWave technology to neutralise viruses and bacteria.

Smart sensors react to the air quality to help keep everything fresh, while sleep mode will help keep your home’s air pure while you sleep without making too much noise.

Levoit Core 300

Recommended by 30% of review sites

Despite being one of the largest air purifier brands in the US, Levoit doesn’t have much of a foothold in Australia just yet.

The Core 300 is a compact air purifier capable of 3-stage air filtration. The H13 HEPA filter works with an ultra-fine pre-filter and an activated carbon filter to trap 99.97% of fine particles.

It’s extremely quiet, especially in Sleep mode which maxes out at 24dB.

It can purify air in rooms up to 40m², with a clean air delivery rate of 187 m³/h.

How we chose the best air purifiers in Australia

Review sites – including this one – are subjective by nature. Everybody has a different opinion of what is best.

So to try and counter the fact that every best guide on the internet has a different opinion of what is best, we approached our list by combining the results of some of the top sites recommending air purifiers on the market today.

To determine this list, we followed the same journey most consumers would follow: we went to Google.

We searched for “Best air purifiers” and identified 12 of the top results. It’s important to note that Google results can change often. The full list of sites we referenced is outlined below:

Top ranking sites

• Wired
• NY Times
• Finder
• Reviews.org
• Forbes
• Good Housekeeping
• Sleep Solutions
• Expert Easy
• PC Mag
• Mr Gadget

We listed out all of the air purifiers listed on each site, tidying up any slight differences in spelling for consistency.

We then calculated the frequency in which each product was mentioned across those 12 guides. The more frequently a product is mentioned, the more agreement there is between experts reviewing these products that it is, indeed one of the best products available.

We set a minimum of three mentions across all 10 guides to be eligible for inclusion here.

Before we created this page we took some time to remove products that are either unavailable, or difficult to find in Australia. For the air purifier category this is particularly challenging. Three out of eight of the products passing the three mention threshold are not available in Australia.

We also leveraged our own experience with products to ensure that we wouldn’t be recommending any product that doesn’t deliver.

Full list of products considered for this guide

Best air purifiers buying guide

If you’re looking to buy an air purifier, you likely want to try and minimise the pollutants and irritants in the air so you and your family can breathe easier, as well as keeping things hygienic and clean.

Whether you want to buy one of the products featured above or something different, these are the things to look for when choosing an air purifier.

Room size

Like portable air conditioners, air purifiers are rated to work to a certain room size.

If you buy a model rated for small rooms then try and use it in a large, open area, it won’t do a very good job.

Likewise, a room rated for large areas is likely overkill in a small bedroom.

That said, if you plan on moving the purifier around your home, you’ll want to ensure it can be effective in the largest room, so consider the coverage area for that room first.

Clean Air Delivery Rate

The Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) measures the volume of air a purifier can clean. It is measured in cubic metres per hour, and typically speaking a larger number is better.

This industry standard number is a good way to compare the effectiveness of an air purifier, though understand that in your own home, location and the purifier’s settings can impact how well it actually performs for you.

Filters

The most important parts of any air purifier are the filters. The filters are the different layers that capture all the particles in your air, before circulating clean air through your home.

There are a few different types of filters you should be looking for as part of your air purifier shopping.

HEPA filter

HEPA stands for high-efficiency particulate arresting. This filter is responsible for capturing all the super-tiny particles, so small you can’t see with the naked eye.

It’s the HEPA filter that will block virus and bacteria particles from the air. Because it’s responsible for capturing all the tiny parts, having a high quality HEPA filter is essential for an effective air purifier.

You can also find HEPA filters in some of the best vacuum cleaners as well, which can help improve the air quality of your home as well.

Carbon filter

Carbon filters are included to capture smoke, odours and chemical smells from the air.

They are particularly useful for removing the smell of cleaning products like bleach or cigarette smoke. They don’t actually filter out micro particles, so need to be used in conjunction with a HEPA filter to truly purify the air.

Ultraviolet filter

UV filters don’t stop anything coming through like a carbon or HEPA filter, but UV light is especially effective at killing bacteria and viruses.

By combining a UV filter with others, the air that is cycled back in your room will be especially clean.

Ionic filters

Ionic filters use a small electrical filter to remove particles from the air by charging them electrically and then having oppositely charged plates attract them from the air.

These filters are particularly useful for removing dust or smoke from the air.

Ozone filters

Ozone filters are another filter designed to remove odours from the air. They don’t work on allergens or chemicals though, and are typically less effective than carbon filters.

Filter replacement notifications

It’s important to be aware that you will need to clean or replace the filters in your air purifier to ensure it works effectively.

Some filters or pre-filters will be washable, but others will need to be replaced. To make things more confusing, some purifiers will let you replace filters individually, while others will offer all-in-one cartridges for sale.

Either way, you’ll want to make sure your purifier notifies you when it’s time to clean or replace the filter.

Noise

While air purifiers can get quite loud on the maximum settings, consider how much noise they make on the quieter settings, particularly if you plan on running them overnight while you sleep.

Sensors

For allergy sufferers, having an air purifier with sensors that detect when the air quality drops can be extremely useful.

These models will typically ramp up the fan speed when air quality drops. This helps to ensure you home is always feeling fresh.

Energy efficiency

With any appliance that you expect to run frequently, understanding the impact on your electricity bill is always important.

Typically, air purifiers are modest energy consumers, though leaving it on 24/7 will undoubtedly have a larger impact.

With electricity prices on the rise, consider how much you’re willing to pay in advance.

Other features

Air purifiers are typically full of features. From scheduling when they run, to timers to shut them off once you’ve gone to bed.

They may come with a remote control, or offer smart features to connect to an app, or be controlled by voice assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant.

More important is the ability to control the fan speed, as fan speed is going to help circulate the air through your room.

Portability

If you plan on moving the air purifier around the house, look at how portable it is. Consider the weight, and also whether it has wheels or a handle to help move it.

Price

Depending on features and size, you can expect to pay anywhere from about $200 to $800 for an air purifier.

Work to your room size and features when deciding what’s best for you, and don’t forget to factor in the ongoing cost of replacement filters when deciding the right model for you.

Update history

• 22 February 2023 – First Published
• 22 May 2023 – Updated number of recommendations. Added Winix ZERO+ Pro 5 Stage Air Purifier, Sunbeam Simply Fresh Air Purifier and Philips Series 1000 Air Purifier. Removed Dyson Pure Hot + Cool HP00.
• 23 August 2023 – Updated number of recommendations. Added Samsung AX60 Versatile Air Purifier, Levoit Core 300 and Coway Airmega 200M. Removed Sunbeam Simply Fresh Air Purifier, Philips Air Purifier Smart 2000i Series, Philips Series 1000 Air Purifier and Coway Airmega AP-1512HH.
• 8 December 2023 – Updated the number of recommendations. Removes Samsung AX60 Versatile and Coway Airmega 200M.